


Redneck Savior

by vampiregirl93



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alexandria Safe-Zone, Deaf Character, F/M, Walkers (Walking Dead)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-21
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-05-28 03:00:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 12,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6312700
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampiregirl93/pseuds/vampiregirl93
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Left on her own in the apocalyptic world, Sierra is trying her hardest to get back home to her brother. But it's not so easy, when she has no skills whatsoever to aid her in her journey. When the group of men stumble upon her in the woods, it's her lucky day as this redneck stranger protects her by saying one simple word, claimed. Now traveling with him, she has high hopes that she'll see her brother again. But after facing all of the hardships the apocalypse throws at them as they make their way north, does Sierra end up falling for her redneck savior?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Alone

_"You be safe out there Sierra," her brother said looking at her before looking to her right, "Brady you watch my little sister out there."_

 

_She looked over to her boyfriend, Brady, with a smile as he quickly nodded his head._

 

_"We will be safe," Sierra said trying to ease her brother's protective side, "we're just going to Georgia for his family then we're coming back home. I love you and I'll see you when we get back."_

 

_He gave her a skeptical look before nodding and hugging her tightly like he'd never see her again. "I'll be watching for you both to return," he said as he pulled away and allowed them to climb into the car they were taking down to Georgia._

 

She sat up, breathing in deeply to keep herself from crying. She was only supposed to be down in Georgia for a couple of days, but that plan changed when Sierra was left on her own. 

 

They made it down to Georgia, to the town his family was supposed to be in, but things soon took a turn for the worst. 

 

Brady and Sierra had a camp set up just on the outskirts of town. They were going to stay there for the night then head in first thing to find his family. It was peaceful that night, like the quiet before the storm. If only they'd known that ahead of time. They headed into town first light, straight for his old home. Only to find his family either lying dead on the ground, or up moving as one of those _roamers_.

 

They thought they got away from them without a scratch when the roamers had noticed their presence, but as soon as the adrenaline wore out, the two learned that wasn't the case. 

 

Brady had been bitten, without them even knowing it until it was far too late. He looked to Sierra, pulling out his hand gun as he placed his free hand gently on her cheek. 

 

He told her to go, to try and make it back to DC on her own. He didn't want to become a roamer and he didn't want Sierra to see what he was about to do. 

 

Last thing he said before pushing her away, was that he was sorry. And as she slowly walked away from him in the woods, the only sound she heard, was a single gunshot behind her. 

 

* * *

 

 

So now here she is, several days after losing her boyfriend, lost in the woods of Georgia. 

 

This heat wasn't doing Sierra any favors, and she was beginning to run low on supplies too. But, she couldn't give up after promising Brady she'd make it back home on her own. 

 

So Sierra kept moving on, trying to find the highway once again to make her way back up north. But for her that was easier said than done. She didn't know how to track, how to navigate through the woods without so much as a map to guide her. 

 

For all she knew, Sierra was just simply going around in circles and she'd never make it back. But she kept trying, for Brady and for her brother back home. 

 

* * *

 

 

Daryl turned to look over his right shoulder, hearing the sound of squealing tires to see a car with a white cross painted on the back. 

 

Beth, the girl he had been traveling with, nowhere to be seen with the bag left on the road. 

 

Following the direction the car went, Daryl ran after it. Running all night, even after just having fought off the walkers as a distraction for Beth to get out, and ran well into the next morning. 

 

Losing the others from his group, a group he'd been with since Atlanta nearly two years ago when all of this started, he refused to lose _her_ too. 

 

But he lost the car, having been out of his sight well since he started chasing it and only stopping long enough to catch his breath. Completely out of breath with his hair drenching wet with sweat, and coming to a fork in the road, Daryl felt hopeless as he looked around and tried to decide which way to go. 

 

Collapsing to the ground, breathing heavily with his crossbow by his side, Daryl sat there in the middle of where the road forked off in two different directions. Two different ways the car with Beth in it could've gone. 

 

He was all alone now. For all he knew, the others from his group could've been dead and he was the lone survivor. 

 

He sat there, probably for hours, just thinking if he was _truly_ alone now, before the sound of footsteps surrounding him reached his ears. "Well lookit here," the voice of the stranger said in front of him before walking closer and going for Daryl's crossbow. 

 

Already pissed off for letting Beth down, he'd be damned if he'd let _anyone_ take his crossbow without a fight. Getting a surge of adrenaline, just before the stranger could lay a finger on the bow, Daryl swung up to deliver a hard right hook to the man's face. 

 

As the stranger fell, Daryl jumped to his feet and grabbed his crossbow before aiming it to the guy's head as he looked back up at him. 

 

Daryl didn't miss all the weapons aimed at his own head, but he wasn't about to back down from a fight either if necessary. 

 

"Damn it, hold up," the man on the ground before him said as Daryl heard talking around him but kept his focus on the leader who he socked in the face. 

 

He watched as the man slowly got to his feet, laughing like he'd finally lost it as he wiped at some of the blood under his nose. "A _bowman_ ," he said with his hand to his nose for a second as he look at his own group. 

 

Daryl watched as he lowered his hand before he continued to speak. "I respect that," the man said, "see, a man with a rifle, he could've been some kind of _photographer_ or even a soccer coach back in the day. But a bowman's a bowman through and through."

 

Daryl watched and listened as the man before him went on about the bow he had in his hand, aimed for the center of his head. 

 

"I've been looking for a weapon like that," he continued on like it was a normal every day conversation, "of course, I'd want one with a bit more ammo and minus the oblongata stains."

 

"Get yourself in some trouble, partner," Daryl heard from behind him but didn't take his eyes off the man before him. "You pull that trigger," the man Daryl now assumed was the head honcho of the group said, "these boys are gonna drop you several times over. That what you want?" 

 

Daryl continued to stare him down, not answering him, not even lowering his weapon. Maybe he wasn't thinking clearly, all the guilt ridden thoughts of failing Beth still bouncing around inside his head as he contemplated letting these men just put him out of his self-loathing misery. 

 

"Come on, fella," the guy said snapping Daryl out of his thoughts and back into the present, "suicide is _stupid_. Why hurt _yourself_ when you can hurt other people?"

 

Daryl just stared at him, not saying a word. He hadn't said a word since these guys showed up and the man in front of him had been doing all the talking. "Name's Joe," he said when it looked like Daryl wasn't going to pull the trigger on his bow. 

 

"Daryl," he said finally speaking after lowering the bow from Joe's face. 

 

One by one, the remaining men in the group lowered their own weapons as he looked around before his attention went back to a nodding and smiling Joe. One thing was for sure, Daryl didn't trust these men like he did Rick and the others. He didn't trust them at _all_. 

 

* * *

 

 

It's been nearly three days since Sierra was left to fend for herself in the woods of Georgia. 

 

The sun was just starting to rise up to start the fourth day. Signs of winter's fast approach were everywhere. The falling leaves, cooling temperatures. It was even starting to quiet down in the woods as animals, mammals and insects alike, began their winter hibernation. 

 

Her food supplies were running low, she'd have to find something edible or she'd never make it back to her brother. 

 

It was early morning, the world still chilled from the cool night before, and Sierra was beginning to regret not going to find some sort of town to find warmer clothes. But of course it didn't help she was lost in these woods to begin with. 

 

Packing her bag up, she hoisted it up onto her shoulders before looking around and deciding which way to try today. Her feet were sore from all the walking but she didn't have much of a choice until she could find her way out of the woods, and then find herself a running car with enough gas to take her back to DC. 

 

Taking a deep breath, she placed her hands on the straps of the back pack that rested on her shoulders, and began walking in the direction she prayed would take her to some sort of _road_ that could get her on her way home. 

 

Walking through the woods, the sun still not up and the world still in a light blue haze from morning fog, Sierra tried keeping her eyes peeled for any sort sign that'd tell where she was. 

 

The sound of a twig snapping behind her caused Sierra to gasp in shock and fright as she quickly turned around in search of the threat. But what she wasn't expecting, was a group of men. At least six of them, all looking at her like she was a piece of meat and they were itching for a taste. 

 

Doing the first thing that came to mind, she _ran_ and didn't look back when she heard their following footfalls and catcalls


	2. Claimed

Daryl stood away from the other six men in the group as they talked. He'd been with them just over a day and a half now and he _still_ didn't trust them, especially Joe. 

 

Yesterday morning Joe explained to Daryl how things worked in the group. Daryl didn't really care, wasn't like he planned to stick around with them anyway. 

 

But this morning, when he was trying to stay back from the group, he heard the sound of panicked running. Catching up to the group, he realized they were chasing after a girl. Confused for a second by the head of blonde hair, Daryl picked up his pace to catch them, thinking it might've been Beth they were after. 

 

The girl they were chasing seemed to trip, over a root or fallen tree, Daryl couldn't be sure from where he was. He watched as the men surrounded her, and when her face came into his view, he could tell it wasn't Beth but just some girl in the wrong place at the wrong time. 

 

He watched as the men leered down at the girl, fear plain as day on her face as she looked at each one before her eyes looked to him. But when she stared at him, he noticed something was wrong just as Len walked towards the girl. 

 

"Claimed," Daryl said as he walked towards the group and the wheezing girl on the ground. "What," Len growled as he and the others looked back to where Daryl was as he grew closer. You could hear the frustration in his voice if you couldn't see the pissed off expression on his face. 

 

"You heard me," Daryl said as he got in Len's face, " _claimed_ now back off."

 

The two men stared each other down before Len and the rest walked away, with Len muttering a few choice words about Daryl. 

 

Ignoring what was said, Daryl quickly turned his attention back to the girl on the ground who was trying to settle down her breathing. 

 

"Hey," Daryl said kneeling down in front of her but she didn't answer, didn't even look like she heard him. He snapped his fingers and waved his hand in front of her face, startling her but gaining her attention at last. "You got an inhaler or something," he asked before she quickly pointed to a back pack that seemed to have been dropped while she was running just before she tripped. 

 

Sierra watched as the man in the black long-sleeved button up and winged vest quickly moved away from her before grabbing ahold of her pack and running back. Digging through it as his knees hit the ground beside her again, she watched and waited while trying to breathe as he finally pulled out her asthma inhaler and handing it over. 

 

She gratefully took it from him before using it, allowing the medicine from the inhaler to fill her lungs and help her get her breath back. Letting out a deep breath after finishing with her inhaler, she looked to the man to see he was talking. She could hear him, but not like she was supposed to. 

 

Daryl watched as the girl got a confused look on her face as her hand that wasn't holding the inhaler lifted up to her ear. Not finding what she was hoping to, Daryl continued to watch as she looked around on the ground by them with her hand still placed to her ear. He watched as after a few moments, her eyes landed on something and she reached for it, picking up some sort of purple device that easily fit in the palm of her hand. 

Sierra brushed off her hearing aid, the asthma inhaler resting in her lap, before carefully placing it to rest on her ear. After the hearing aid was in place and working right, Sierra looked up to the man who was watching her stunned. 

 

"You're deaf," the man said staring as she shrugged. "I can still hear without it," she said with a smile, "it's just really tricky that way. My name's Sierra by the way, thank you for what you did."

 

"What's a girl like you doing out here alone," Daryl asked watching her curiously. "I wasn't alone when I first got here," she said, "but the person I was with before was bitten. Now I'm trying to find my way back to the highway so I can head back up north."

 

"Why north," Daryl asked as she looked down to her lap. "That's where my home is," she whispered, "that's where it's been for two years. Just me and my brother. I have to get back to my brother."

 

Sierra looked up at him, watching as he chewed on his lips in thought. "Alright," he finally said, "then I'll get you back home."

 

She smiled and nodded as he stood to his feet before holding out his hand to her. "You never told me your name," she said as she grabbed his hand and allowed him to help her up. "Daryl," was all he said before handing over her pack and walking after the group of men. 

 

* * *

 

 

"Is this group of men really who you chose to travel with," Sierra asked looking to Daryl as they walked a ways from the group in question. "I have a group I've been with since this whole thing began," he said after a couple minutes thought, "I'm just following them until I find my group."

 

Sierra was quite, causing Daryl to look down at her as she walked beside him. "What," he finally asked, having enough of her saddened look on her face. 

 

"When you find your group," she said not looking up at him as she spoke, "I'll be alone again, won't I?"

 

"The hell you talking about," Daryl asked grabbing her arm and pulling her to a stop before looking ahead of them to make sure the group of men kept walking. 

 

"I don't know your group," she said peering up at him, "and you and your group don't know me. It doesn't take a genius to know that I'll be on my own again once you find your group."

 

Daryl stared at her as she turned and walked after the other men. 

 

* * *

 

 

The group decided to settle in some old abandoned garage that even still had the cars that were being worked on in it. 

 

Sierra watched as they went around, shouting out the same word Daryl had when he saved her from these men. She glanced over at him as soon as his name popped into her head to see he was stretching out on the concrete floor of the garage. 

 

Quickly looking away from him, and around at her surroundings, she realized that all of the more comfortable places to sleep had already been claimed by the other six people in the group. 

 

Daryl stretched out on the ground, he didn't need the seats of a car to be able to sleep. He just balled up the bag he was carrying that had some clothes in it he'd grabbed while with these men and used it as a pillow. 

 

He had his eyes closed as he got comfortable on the floor until he felt someone watching him. Turning his head to the side as he opened his eyes, he spotted Sierra by herself over by the window.

 

She had to be aware of the risks for traveling outside of whatever protected her all this time, but he couldn't understand why a girl like her who's deaf and has asthma would be out here in the first place. 

 

And then she thought that when Daryl finally found his old group, she would be back on her own. But he knew that if he told Rick about her, about her having asthma and being deaf, he wouldn't leave her to fend for herself. He knew Rick would let her tag along, he had a good heart like that. 

 

* * *

 

 

The next morning Sierra woke to a hand on her shoulder, shaking her awake. Startled, she jumped awake before looking up into a pair of intense blue eyes. 

 

"We're leaving," Daryl said before removing his hand from her shoulder. 

 

Standing to her feet, Sierra stretched to try and get the soreness that was beginning to settle into her body from laying on the concrete floor to go away. 

 

She lifted her hands above her head, stretching as high up as her body was physically able to, she felt the shirt she had on ride up to show a bit of stomach. 

 

She felt eyes on her as she stretched. The uncomfortable feeling settled over her as she decided to risk a glance to see who was watching her. When she looked over, she realized it was that other man, the one who first tried to approach her before Daryl stepped in. 

 

Somehow sensing discomfort coming from Sierra's direction, Daryl glanced over at where she still stood but her attention was on the other side of the garage. 

 

Following her eyes, Daryl spotted the cause of her unease. " _Hey_ ," he shouted out at Len, "keep your damn eyes to yourself!"

 

Sierra watched as the man glared at Daryl before he turned his back and walked over to her as she picked up her bag. 

 

"Let's go," Daryl said as he grabbed ahold of her upper arm and turned her away from the group of mean and heading for the door, "you stay close to me. I don't trust that prick not to try something if I'm not around."

 

Sierra nodded, he wasn't going to get any arguments from her. She didn't like the looks he was giving her. Situating the pack on her shoulders, Sierra followed Daryl and the other men as they followed the set of train tracks to who knew where. 


	3. Rick

Sierra walked quietly behind Daryl and the other man named Joe. The rest of that group was walking ahead, leading the way back to the tracks after walking through some woods. 

 

She could hear Daryl and Joe talking ahead of her, passing some sort of flask between them. But she couldn't shake the feeling of dread that washed over her, knowing that her time with another person was limited. 

 

Daryl glanced back at Sierra behind him. She kept to her word, staying in his sight while they were with these men. 

 

Daryl looked ahead at the group as one stopped in front of this sign by the tracks. 

 

"Getting closer," the man called out to Joe as they approached the sign before he walked off with the rest. 

 

Sierra came to a stop next to Daryl as she peered at the sign. 

 

_Sanctuary for all_

_Community for all_

_Those who arrive survive_

_Terminus_

 

That's what the sign said as she read it to herself. 

 

"You see this before," Daryl asked Joe as he pointed at the sign after reading it himself. 

 

"Oh yeah," Joe says looking up at it before moving on, "I'll tell you what it is. It's a lie."

 

"How could you _know_ that," Sierra asked causing both men to look at her. 

 

"Ain't no sanctuary for _all_ ," Joe says before turning and walking off. 

 

Daryl looks at her a moment longer before following after, motioning for her to do the same. 

 

"So is that where we're headed," Daryl asked as he and Sierra caught up to the others. 

 

"So now you're asking," Joe asked as he glanced to the man walking beside him and the younger woman beside him. "That's right," Daryl said nodding. 

 

"We were in a house," he said as he faced ahead again, "minding our own business and, uh, this walking piece of fecal matter was hiding in the home. Strangled our colleague, Lou, and left him to turn. Lou came at all of us and he lit out."

 

Sierra looked over at the older man, judging what he was saying by his reaction to his own story. Looking for any truth to it. 

 

"We tracked him to these tracks," he continued, "one of those signs, and thus we've got a destination in mind."

 

"You see his face," Sierra couldn't help but ask. 

 

"Only Tony," he said looking over to her with Daryl between them, "that's enough for a reckoning."

 

Daryl watched as Sierra looked away from Joe, her eyes locking on something to the side of the tracks. When he looked forward, he spotted what had caught her attention just as one of the other men went to grab it. "Claimed," Daryl called taking a few quick strides towards the plant the other man had went to reach for. 

 

Pulling it up from the ground, roots and all, he plucked the single tomato from its stem as both Joe and the other guy walked on. Sierra stopped next to Daryl as he discarded the plant itself before turning towards her. "Here," he said holding it out to her. 

 

She peered up into his blue eyes before hesitantly taking it from him and brushing some of the dirt from its outer skin. "Thank you," she whispered before looking to him in time to see him nod. "We're splitting from these guys tonight," he whispered as they started walking again, "getting a bad feeling about these men."

 

"Okay," she whispered and nodded as she fell into step beside him. 

 

* * *

 

 

"That was one _small_ rabbit," Rick said as he and Michonne sat by the small fire they'd build on the road next to a broken down car they'd found earlier that afternoon. Carl was inside, trying to sleep as his dad and Michonne sat talking. 

 

"It was _something_ ," Michonne said, "gotta hand it to the thing. It traveled well." Rick let out a short chuckle while she smiled, this being their usual conversation nowadays. 

 

"We're close," Rick said after a couple minutes of silence, "just gotta make it through another day." Michonne watched as he kicked dirt over the small fire to put it out before Rick spoke again. 

 

"If folks there are taking people in they have to be strong," he said, "they have to have a system."

 

"I wonder if the whole thing's _legit_ ," Michonne said, speaking the one thing that'd been on her mind since seeing the sign for the first time. 

 

The sound of a twig snapping halted their conversation a moment as Rick stood to his feet, looking for the threat but not seeing it. 

 

"We let people in," he said as he continued the conversation where they stopped. "We did," Michonne said agreeing, "so did the Governor."

 

Rick stared at her for a moment before nodding and looking down at his hands. "Yeah," he said, "it's always the same isn't it? Don't get to know _until_ we know. Maybe this place isn't even _there_ anymore."

 

"Oh, dearie me," a new voice said as Rick felt the barrel of a gun pressed to his temple, "you screwed up, asshole."

 

Rick and Michonne watched as two other men came out of the woods in front of them, with the two directly behind them and the one over by the abandoned truck watching Carl inside. 

 

"You hear me," Joe said pressing the barrel harder into Rick's temple, "you screwed up."

 

Rick sat there quietly, watching the two in front of him aim their guns on him and Michonne before he glanced towards where Carl was. 

 

"Today," Joe said down to Rick, "is a day of reckoning, sir. Restitution. A balancing of the _whole damn universe._ "

 

Michonne glanced to Rick beside her as the man, who seemed to be the leader of this group, chuckled before he continued speaking. 

 

"Shit," he said now talking to those in his group, "and I was thinking of turning in for the night on New Year's Eve." 

 

He started laughing again before he shouted out once more to his group. 

 

"Now," he shouted, "who's gonna count down the ball dropper with me, huh?"

 

* * *

 

 

"Somethin' don't feel right," Daryl said to Sierra as they slowly lost sight of the group of men, trying to put some distance between them shortly after night fall. 

 

"Like what," Sierra asked looking to him confused. "Don't know," he said as he pulled his crossbow from his shoulders and held it in his hand ready for anything, "just stay behind me. C'mon."

 

She nodded and silently followed behind, making sure not to lose sight of him. 

 

"Ten Mississippi!"

 

Sierra look to Daryl upon hearing the familiar voice of Joe up ahead. 

 

"Nine Mississippi!"

 

Daryl sped up his pace, wanting to figure out why Joe was counting down. 

 

"Eight Mississippi!"

 

"Joe," Daryl shouted, stopping the man from counting as soon as he saw the gun pointed at Rick's head. 

 

Sierra walked up behind, noticing the look on Daryl's face as well as the two being held at gun point. They knew each other, she could tell that much and it made her wonder if the man with the gun to his temple was Daryl's friend Rick. 

 

"Hold up," Daryl said quietly, still staring at his friend. 

 

"You're stopping me on eight, Daryl," Joe said as Daryl didn't move his eyes from the man before him. 

 

"Just hold up," he said taking a few steps closer while Sierra stayed in her spot in the shadows. 

 

"This is the guy that killed Lou," one man said causing Sierra to glance at him before looking back to the others before her, "so we got nothing to talk about."

 

"The thing about nowadays is we got nothing _but_ time," Joe said looking to Daryl, "say your piece, Daryl."

 

"These people," Daryl said looking down from Joe to Rick, "you're gonna let 'em go. These are _good_ people."

 

Sierra concluded from that, that Daryl _did_ know these people being held at gun point by Joe and his gang of assholes. 

 

"Now," Joe said dragging her out of her thoughts, "I think Lou would disagree with you on that. I'll, of course, have to speak for him and all 'cause your friend here strangled him in a bathroom."

 

"You want blood," Daryl said, "I get it. Take it from me, man. Come on."

 

Sierra stared dumbfounded and shocked as he laid down his stuff before Joe spoke again. 

 

"This man killed our friend," Joe said, "you say he's _good people_. See now that right there is a _lie_. It's a lie!"

 

Daryl put down his arms just before he was hit in the gut with the butt of one of the rifles from one of the men. 

 

"No," Sierra shouted as everything seemed to happen almost in slow motion but still going by faster than she realized. 

 

Daryl was on the ground being beaten to death by one man, while another had spotted her and grabbed ahold of her by her waist as she went to make a run for it. 

 

Sierra screamed out as she was thrown to the ground, her attacker straddling her hips as he tried to tear at her clothes. 

 

She tried fighting back, she tried her hardest, but the man was too big and too strong for her to take on alone. 

 

The sound of the gunshots barely registered to Sierra's ears as she continued to fight, the man on top of her pulling and tugging at the hem of her jeans. 

 

When his weight suddenly disappeared off her body, Sierra looked over beside her, breathing heavily and struggling to get enough oxygen, in time to see Daryl slam the man's face into the ground before stepping on the back of his head. "Daryl," she barely gasped out when he looked to her, relief flooding through her that he was okay. 

 

Daryl quickly ran to her side, grabbing her bag from where she'd dropped it and pulling out her inhaler before handing it over to her. Kneeling down on one knee beside her, he lifted her up into a sitting position before propping her back up against his leg. 

 

Daryl had his hand placed on the back of her shoulder as he watched her inhale the medicine that she needed to ease her breathing. When they both finally looked towards Rick, he was stabbing continuously into the man who had his son and his face was covered in blood. 

 

She didn't know what had her scared more at that point as she sat there leaning against Daryl still, the fact that she'd almost been raped by one of the pigs she and Daryl were traveling with, or the look of the man before her as he killed the person who tried to harm his boy. 


	4. Come With Us

At day break, Sierra found herself sitting off to the side, away from the others, leaning against a tree while she still continue to shake from the ordeal that happened that night. 

 

Michonne and Carl, the two others who were traveling with Rick that Sierra learned was from Daryl's old group, were inside the truck that Rick was leaning against. 

 

He was still covered in blood and the sight wasn't helping to calm her nerves, it was honestly freaking her out and she didn't know what to expect with this man. 

 

Sierra look up, the faint sound of a twig snapping catching her attention, as she spotted Daryl standing beside her. 

 

"You alright," he asked quietly as he knelt down beside her but still keeping his distance. He knew she was spooked and he didn't want to give her any reason to think he and the others from the group were like Joe and his asshole followers. 

 

Not saying a word, she simply looked up at him and nodded before her attention when back to where Rick sat. 

 

Daryl looked behind him at where Rick was and sighed before moving to his feet once again and heading over. 

 

He had a bottle of water in hand that he'd gotten to help clean Rick up some, knowing that blood would probably frighten Carl to some degree after last night's incident, it was already making Sierra uncomfortable. 

 

Sitting his crossbow down in front of the car, Daryl pulled out his red rag he always carried with him and began to poor a small amount of water onto it. 

 

"We should save that to drink," Rick said when he noticed what Daryl was doing. "You can't see yourself," Daryl said then motioned to the truck, "he can. And so can she." He motioned behind himself after mentioning a _she_ so Rick knew who he was referring to. 

 

Rick stared up at him before slowly taking the rag from Daryl and holding it in his hands as he stared at it. 

 

"She alright," Rick asked as Daryl sat down beside him, "that girl?"

 

"Just a little shook up," Daryl said as he glanced to where the blonde was sitting and looking off into space in front of her, "saved her life from those dicks."

 

"She has asthma," Rick said after a moment of silence as he began wiping blood from his face, "I saw you hand her an inhaler."

 

"She does," Daryl said nodding as he looked back to Rick. 

 

Daryl looked to Rick, watching as he cleaned the blood from his face before speaking again. 

 

"I didn't know what they were," he said looking out in front of him.

 

"How'd you wind up with them," Rick asked after nodding. He glanced over towards the girl again as Daryl spoke. 

 

"I was with Beth," he said, "we got out together. I was with her for a while, just the two of us."

 

The pain of letting her down was still fresh for Daryl as he stopped speaking and looked to the ground in front of him. 

 

"Is she dead," Rick asked, sensing his friend's discomfort. "She's just _gone_ ," Daryl said as he looked back up to Rick. 

 

Honestly, he didn't know if she was still alive with whoever took her that night. 

 

"After that," Daryl said as he started talking again and finding himself looking over towards Sierra again, "that's when they found me. I mean, I knew they were bad people. One of them would've raped _her_ that first morning we found her. But they had a code and it helped me keep her safe."

 

"She's lucky you were with them then," Rick said as he noticed where Daryl's gaze was.

 

"They said they were looking for some guy," Daryl said as he looked away and back in front of him, "last night they said they spotted him. We were hanging back, Sierra and me. We were gonna leave while they were distracted. But we stayed, somethin' didn't feel right to me. That's when I saw it was you three. Right when you saw me."

 

"Sierra," Rick asked, "is that the girl's name?"

 

"Yeah," Daryl said nodding before continuing, "I didn't know what they could do."

 

"It's not on you, Daryl," Rick said, "hey. It's not on you. You being back with us here, now, that's everything. You're my brother."

 

Daryl looked to Rick, both of them quiet, before he nodded and once again looked to where Sierra sat. 

 

"She thinks she's going to be on her own again," he said, "figured when I found you she wouldn't be welcomed. She's trying to make it back home to her brother."

 

"Well let's go see if we can't tell her otherwise," Rick said as he finished cleaning up the blood and stood to his feet, Daryl following behind as they walked over to the girl. 

 

Sierra looked up at the approaching men, fearing that this was when they'd tell her that they'd go separate ways now. 

 

Even after Daryl had told her otherwise, it was still what plagued her mind as she peered up at the two sets of blue eyes that peered right back down at her. 

 

She stood to her feet, brushing off the dirt and leaves that stuck as no one said a word yet. 

 

"This is where you tell me to leave," she asked glancing at both men as she held the burning tears at bay, "right? You go your way, I go mine?"

 

"Actually," Rick said looking to Daryl before looking back to her, "I was going to ask if you'd like to tag along. That is if you're comfortable with the idea, after everything that happened last night I wouldn't be surprised if you weren't."

 

"You want me to travel with you guys," she asked dumbfounded as she stared at the two in shock. 

 

"Well yeah," Rick said before he looked to Daryl beside him, "Daryl said you were trying to get back to your brother. And I think you'd be better off with a small group to help you get back to him."

 

"I wouldn't want to impose," she said shaking her head. "You wouldn't be," Daryl said shaking his head. 

 

"You'd really help me get back to DC," she asked, wanting to clarify. "We want to make a pit stop at this _Terminus_ first," Rick said, "see if any of our group that got out went there. Then we'll head up north to get you home."

 

Sierra smiled at Rick, thoughts of abandonment long forgotten after he said she could join them. 

 

* * *

 

 

It was an hour later when the gang of five began making their way towards this so called _sanctuary for all_ , Terminus. 

 

Rick and Michonne were up in front. Next was Daryl and Carl, and finally it was Sierra bringing up the rear. 

 

She felt out of place amongst them, knowing they've known each other for a while now. She learned that Rick, Daryl, and Carl have known each other since they were in a camp just outside of Atlanta while Michonne joined them a couple months back when they found this prison to stay in. 

 

"You don't have to walk back there you know," Carl said snapping Sierra out of her thoughts. 

 

Daryl glanced to the boy to see him looking behind and when he looked back he saw it was Sierra he was speaking to.

 

Sierra watched as Daryl glanced back at her before turning to face the front once more, not even uttering a word to her. 

 

Unsure of why that hurt, she looked down to her feet and didn't answer the boy, just kept walking behind them. 

 

"We're getting close," Daryl's voice said snapping Sierra out of her thoughts and causing her to look up to see the others had stopped in front of a fallen sign, "be there before sundown."

 

Rick nodded as he looked off to the woods beside the tracks. 

 

"Now we head through the woods," he said as he looked back to the others, "we don't know who they are."

 

"Alright," Daryl said as he began leading the way through the woods. He glanced back once to see Sierra was once again at the back, but Rick was beside her this time as he seemed to try and get her to talk. 

 

* * *

 

 

"We all spread out," Rick said when they reached the boarder fence to Terminus, "watch for a while, see what we see, and get ready. We all stay close. Sierra I want you to go with Daryl."

 

"Okay," she whispered and nodded before looking to Daryl beside her. 

 

"C'mon," he said before motioning with his head for her to follow him before turning with his crossbow in hand and leading the way. 

 

It was silent among the two, Daryl watching the fence they were walking by as Sierra just kept her eyes to the ground. 

 

"You got another inhaler," came Daryl's voice, causing her to jump from the sudden noise. 

 

"What," she asked confused as she looked to him, Daryl stopping and looking back at her as he lowered his crossbow. 

 

"You got another inhaler," he asked again, "if I know Rick, he'll want to hide our weapons out here in case things go bad. If you got another one, drop it in with the bag of guns just in case."

 

"Do _you_ think things will go bad," she asked looking up at him. 

 

"You never know anymore," he said as he turned his attention away from her and back to the fence for a moment. 

 

"Yeah I have a spare in my bag," she said after a few moments causing him to look at her again, "my brother never did let me leave without carrying my spare too. I'll leave it with the bag of guns. Just in case."

 

He nodded once before turning his attention to the fence again. 

 

"Let's head back," he said and turned to leave, leaving her to follow behind him. 


	5. Terminus

Sierra looked down to where Rick knelt as he placed the bag of weapons they had into a trench in the ground he'd dug. 

 

"Just in case," he said as he looked to her and Daryl who stood beside her. 

 

"May I put this in there," she asked holding out her extra inhaler towards him, "just in case."

 

"Of course," he nodded as he took the item from her and placed it in with the weapons before closing the bag and beginning to bury it. 

 

Daryl nodded for her to follow him once Rick finished, walking towards the chain fence that went around the perimeter of Terminus itself. 

 

Rick went over first before Daryl helped Sierra up and over the fence only for Rick to help her back down to the ground. 

 

Daryl came over the fence last, after Michonne and Carl had gone over, but led the group into the closest building they came to that had its door open wide. Almost like an invitation to come on in. 

 

Not having a weapon of her own, Sierra stayed in between the other four members of her group at that point. 

 

Running into the building as quietly as they could, they made their way through the halls towards the sound of a female's voice.

 

Daryl peered into the room the talking was coming from, seeing an older woman at a radio transmitter and a group of people looking to be making more of those signs they'd found along the tracks. 

 

Glancing back at the others, Daryl walked in first with the rest close behind. 

 

Sierra found herself between Daryl and Michonne as they walked in, looking around at everything in the room. 

 

She looked to her left as Rick walked around their group and moved closer to the woman. 

 

"Hello," he said causing her to stop speaking and look up before he looked to the other group and spoke again, "hello."

 

The group watched as the people stopped, looking at the group surprised. 

 

"Well, I bet Albert is on perimeter watch," one of the men said as he sat down the paint brush he had in hand. 

Sierra watched as the man who talked walked around the tables and came to a stop in the center aisle. 

 

"You here to rob us," he asked as he looked at the group before him. 

 

"No," Rick said before he started walking forward a couple steps, "we wanted to see you before you saw us."

 

"Makes sense," the man said nodding as he looked around before looking back to the newcomers, " _usually_ we do this where the tracks meet. _Welcome to Terminus_. I'm Gareth."

 

Daryl glanced at his group, looking at each one as the man, Gareth, spoke. 

 

"Looks like you've been on the road for a good bit," Gareth said as he looked at each person standing in front of him. 

 

"We have," Rick said nodding before looking to his group, "Rick. That's Carl, Daryl, Sierra, Michonne."

 

Sierra could feel Daryl's eyes on her, but she didn't look over at him. She just kept her eyes on the man named Gareth. 

 

"You're nervous," he said after a few minutes of _tense_ silence, "I get it. We were all the same way. We came here for sanctuary. That what you here for?"

 

Rick stared at him a second before looking to his group. 

 

"Yes," he said as he turned his attention back to the guy in front of him. 

 

"Good," Gareth said, "you found it. Hey, Alex. This isn't as _pretty_ as the front. We got nothing to hide, but the _welcome wagon_ is a _whole_ lot nicer."

 

Sierra watched as this man, Alex, walked up behind Gareth as he continued to talk about Terminus. 

 

"Alex will take you," he said glancing back at the second man before looking ahead again, "ask you a few questions. Uh, but first, we need to see everyone's weapons."

 

The group looked to each other, well everyone but Sierra, before looking back to him. 

 

"If you could just lay them down in front of you," Gareth said as he looked from one person to the next. 

 

It was silent as Rick looked to his group before nodding. "Alright," he said as he pulled his gun out and laid it down on the floor, the others following suit. 

 

"I'm sure you understand," Gareth said as Rick looked up at him. 

 

"Yes I do," Rick said as he pulled out his second gun. 

 

Sierra shied away slightly from the looks Gareth and Alex gave her when she was the only one who didn't lay something down on the ground. 

 

When the others straightened back up, Gareth motioned with his hands for them to hold their arms out so they could be patted down to make sure they weren't hiding something. 

 

Gareth went to Rick first while Alex went to Daryl. 

 

"I'd hate to see the other guy," Alex remarked as he took in the back eye and cuts on Daryl's lip while be began to pat him down. 

 

Daryl's blue eyes immediately went to where Sierra stood as Alex spoke, knowing how she felt about what had happened just before they arrived to Terminus. 

 

"You would," Rick spoke up as he too looked to Sierra before looking to Michonne and Carl. 

 

"They deserve it," Alex asked peering up at Sierra as he began lightly patting her down next.

 

"Yes," Daryl said as he watched Alex dig into one of Sierra's pockets before pulling out her inhaler. 

 

"I'm asthmatic," she said when Alex looked up at her. 

 

"Sorry," he said as he handed it back to her and moved on to Michonne as Gareth had done gone to Carl. 

 

"Just so you know," Gareth said as he and Alex both finished, "we aren't those kind of people, but we aren't _stupid_ either."

 

Sierra looked around at the other four people around her. She wasn't so sure they'd want to leave if _this_ place was _okay_. She just knew that this was when she'd have to travel alone.

 

"And you shouldn't be stupid enough to try anything stupid," Gareth said as Sierra snapped out of her thoughts.

 

As he continued to talk, Sierra glanced at the group again, taking note of Rick's facial reaction to Gareth's speech for _newcomers_.

 

As Gareth turned and walked away, Alex bent down and handed Michonne her katana and before he could help Daryl, he'd already picked up his things just like Carl and Rick. 

 

"Follow me," Alex said, giving Sierra a bad feeling with how he was acting.

 

Looking at each other, the group followed behind the man as they were led through the compound and back outside.

 

"Stay close to Daryl," Rick whispered to Sierra when they reached the outside. Not feeling like arguing, she nodded and moved so she was walking next to him.

 

"So how long's this place been here," Daryl asked, causing Alex to look back at him. 

 

"Since almost the start," he replied and faced forward again, "when all the camps got overrun, people started finding this place. Think it was instinct, you know?"

 

"Maybe," Sierra muttered, earning a look from Daryl before the other man stopped in front of a lady standing behind a grill.

 

The smell of the cooking meat had Sierra's stomach growling with need as she eyed to cooking meat.

 

"Heard you came in the back door," this woman said smiling at the new group, " _smart_. You'll fit right in here." 

 

"Hey, Mary, would you fix each of these new folks a plate for me," Alex asked smiling before looking back to the group.

 

Sierra's stomach growled more, with the knowledge that it'd be filled soon. But out of the corner of her eye, Sierra noticed Daryl's head on the swivel, like he was looking for some sort of threat.

 

Glancing back at Rick, she noticed he was doing the same.

 

Looking back ahead, she watched Alex hand Carl a plate and turned to grab another.

 

When he turned back to them, he held a plate out to her, but before she could take it from him, Rick rushed up and smacked the plate away before grabbing ahold of the guy and aiming his gun at the guy.

 

Startled, Sierra screamed out before she felt someone pull her back behind them.

 

Only when they were in front of her did Sierra realize that it was Daryl and he had his crossbow up and ready.

 

"Where the _hell_ did you get this watch," Rick asked, his arm locked around Alex's throat in a chock hold with the before mentioned watch in hand and his gun at the man's head.

 

Sierra stood behind Daryl, her hands resting on his shoulders as he stood before her.

 

She looked around, watching as Rick questioned Alex, looking for answers about the items that obviously meant something to him, and quiet possibly something to his group as well.

 

She watched, as the man named Gareth showed up, trying to talk to Rick before the sound of gunfire filled her ears. Screaming, she ducked down behind Daryl before she felt him move.

 

Daryl glanced back at her after firing back at the enemy that was surrounding them before he pushed Sierra to run ahead of him. 

 

" _Move_ ," he shouted when she hesitated but the second she heard more gunfire from the opposing side, her feet began to move and follow the others. 

 

She watched and followed as the others tried to find a way out of the maze they seemed to be in. To her, it seemed like they were being herded somewhere in particular. But she didn't know for sure and decided it was probably best to keep her mouth shut. 

 

She followed behind, it getting harder and harder for her to catch her breath. When they stopped a second, in some sort of chapel made room, she felt around her pockets for her inhaler. 

 

"Damn," she muttered when she realised she didn't have it anymore. "Sierra," Daryl's voice called out to her, "let's go!" 

 

Nodding, she quickly followed them until they came to a stop next to a train car as people appeared from behind a fence. 

 

Still fighting to gain her breath, she looked around as they did, discovering that they were now surrounded. "Drop your weapons," Gareth's voice shouted out behind them and causing them all to look back, " _now_!"

 

Rick looked to everyone he was with, his eyes landing on the scared Sierra last. " _Now_ ," Gareth shouted, becoming impatient with their hesitance. Both Daryl and Rick threw down their weapons, clearly pissed with what they had to do, while Carl and Michonne dropped theirs a little gentler. 

 

"Ringleader, go to your left," Gareth ordered, "the train car, go." Rick looked at the car before looking back up to Gareth. Gareth, seeing the man's hesitation, spoke up again. "You do what we say, the boy goes with you," he said, "anything else, he dies and you end up in there anyway."

 

Rick looked to Carl one last time before looking to Daryl and the others as he walked towards the car. "Now the Archer," Gareth said after Rick had gone a few paces. 

 

Daryl looked to Sierra only as she continued to try and regulate her breathing. When she made eye contact with him, he could see the panic there but there was nothing he could do. 

 

Nodding once to her, he turned and walked off. Just like before, after he was a few paces away, Gareth spoke again. "Now the blonde," he said, his eyes trained on the girl. 

 

Not looking at anyone, she turned and walked in the direction Daryl and Rick had gone. "Now the samurai," Gareth's voice called back behind her. 

 

When she reached the others, she looked up at them. "You okay," Rick mouthed to her, only getting a nod in response before she looked to see Michonne walking closer. 

 

"Stand at the door, ringleader, archer, blondie, samurai," Gareth shouted, "in that order." Rick looked to Carl before looking towards Gareth. " _My son_ ," he shouted as he watched Carl stand alone. 

 

"Go, kid," Gareth said, finally allowing him to join the others, "ringleader open the door and go in."

 

Sierra watched behind Daryl as Rick walked up and opened the train car door before disappearing inside. Daryl followed shortly after and then it was her turn to enter. 

 

When all five were inside, the door closed and Sierra's lungs seemed to want to choose then to nearly close all the way and give her an asthma attack of sorts.


	6. Fucking With the Wrong People

The moment the door to the car closed, and the sound of Sierra wheezing could reach his ears, Daryl was knelt down in front of her where she'd collapsed. 

 

"Sierra," he called out, trying to gain her attention. She looked up at him panicked, she couldn't catch her breath and she no longer had her main inhaler. With her spare buried on the other side of the fence, she was on her own. 

 

"Calm down," he said looking at her as she continued to struggle, "where's your inhaler?" Unable to answer, all she could do was shake her head. "Sierra you gotta calm down," Rick said rushing to kneel next to Daryl after watching her basically say she didn't have her inhaler anymore, "take a deep breath in. And slowly let it out."

 

She attempted to follow Rick's instructions. Watching him as he spoke to her, she mimicked what he said, taking a deep breath in and slowly letting it out. 

 

When her breathing was finally under control, he patted her on her shoulder and smiled at her. "Good girl," he said before standing to his feet once again. 

 

Rick watched as she stayed seated on the floor, still trying to keep her breathing steady. He smiled over at Carl who'd moved to stand next to him before another sound reached the group's ears. 

 

Everyone's eyes shifted to the other side of the train car as figures began walking into the little light in the car. 

 

Daryl stood to his feet, walking away from Sierra as four familiar faces came into view. 

 

"Rick," Daryl watch as Glenn came into view first. Followed by his wife Maggie, and then Bob and Sasha. 

 

"You're here," Rick said, looking at his group members from back at the prison. 

 

He couldn't help the small smile on his face as he looked upon the familiar faces he's know for a while now. 

 

Even with the current situation, he was happy. 

 

Daryl glanced back behind him when he heard movement, noticed Sierra getting up slowly as she used the wall to help her. 

 

Unable to keep from it, he walked over and helped her stand to her feet before turning his attention to Rick and the others, noticing four new faces. 

 

"They're our friends," Maggie said looking at her old group, "they helped save us."

 

"Now they're friends of ours," Daryl said as he moved back to his original spot next to Rick. 

 

"Who's she," Sasha asked, nodding her head towards Sierra who hid slightly behind Daryl. 

 

"Friend of Daryl's," Rick said glancing back at the frightened blonde, "he came across her when we were all separated. Saved her."

 

"Been trying to help her get back _home_ ," Daryl said as he looked to his friends. 

 

"Don't think that'll be happening anymore," Abraham said before he turned his back to the group. 

 

Sierra didn't want to admit it out loud but, she was starting to believe what the man said was truth. She'd lost count of how long she's been away from her brother. 

 

" _No_ ," Rick said before glancing back at the scared blonde who stood near the far wall of the train car.

 

Daryl glanced back towards Sierra, gauging her reaction, before looking back to Rick in front of him. 

 

"They're gonna feel _pretty stupid_ when they find out," he said as he walked over to the door and peered through the gap. 

 

"Find out _what_ ," Abraham asked, turning around to look at Rick. Everyone's attention was on Rick, his former group knowing he had a plan forming while the newcomers where waiting to see what he would say that could get them out of this bind they were in. 

 

He looked to the four on his left; Daryl, Carl, Michonne, and Sierra before looking to the others on his right; Abraham, Eugene, Rosita, Tara, Glenn, Maggie, Sasha, and Bob. 

 

"They're fucking with the wrong people," he said, a look of determination in his eyes. 

 

* * *

 

 

Sierra sat back against the wall to the car sometime later, listening as they each talked about what made them think something was up with the people in Terminus. 

 

"They seemed nice enough, but I was ready to go," the one named Abraham spoke as they each armed themselves with homemade weapons, "we just got here, but, damn it was time to go. When I told them about DC, a wink and a nod from the head asshole in charge, they pulled their guns and it was right back to our regularly scheduled shitstorm."

 

Abraham mentioning DC, left Sierra to try and decide if she'd travel with him and his small group should they split from Rick and the others. 

 

She didn't miss Daryl sending a glance her way, knowing that was her destination in mind. She had to get back to her brother. Someway, somehow, she just _had_ to. 

 

Sierra just sat there listening as Sasha asked about someone named Tyresse before Daryl started talking about a girl being taken by a black car with a white cross painted onto its back window. She could only assume that those were both members of Rick's group. 

 

"Alright," Daryl's voice called out causing everyone to stop, "got four of them pricks coming our way."

 

He looked back at the group, nodding to Rick as he moved to stand next to Sierra who'd finally stood to her feet. "Stay behind us all," he said, his blue eyes locking on her when he looked over his shoulder.

 

Nodding, she took a step back before Daryl turned his attention to the door of the train car. 

 

"Y'all know what to do," Rick said moving to take point, "go for their eyes first. Then their throats."

 

Sierra watched as they all waited at the ready by the door, waiting for it to open. 

 

"Put your backs to the walls on either end of the car," the group heard from the other side of the wall, " _now_!" 

 

They waited and watched before light from above them filtered in when a hatch on the top of the car opened. They watched as one of the men that had put them inside threw in some sort of can.

 

Sierra watched as the group scattered the second one shouted _move_. "Sierra cover your nose and mouth," she heard Rick shout just before he ran and pushed her further away from the can just as a loud bang sounded behind him. 

 

She could hear coughing and shouting as something covered her nose and mouth from the smoke filling the car. The second she placed her hand over the cloth, she felt Rick being jerked away from her as the car door closed shorty after. 

 

"There's a girl in here with asthma you asshole," Rosita shouted out, banging on the door after the smoke cleared. 

 

Sierra was on the floor, Rick's rag still over her mouth and nose as she tried to keep from breathing in the remaining smoke. "You okay," Maggie asked, kneeling down next to the girl and placing her hand on the girl's back. 

 

Looking at her, Sierra nodded as the air finally cleared enough to allow her to remove the rag from her face.

 

She looked around to notice who was missing. Rick, Glenn, Bob, and Daryl. 

 

All four had been taken while the smoke hid the act, and all Sierra could do was worry about her new friends. 

 

"What are we going to do," Sierra asked as she looked at the remaining people in the car. "We're going to get out of here," Maggie said matter-of-factly as she looked at the blonde beside her, "and we're gonna get our friends back."

 

"And we're gonna get the hell away from this place," Abraham added as the others began working on more weapons to use. 

 

* * *

 

 

Sierra sat there, unsure of what she should do and not skilled enough to be able to do the things they were doing. 

 

Honestly, she was still freaking out a little from the explosion that went off several minutes after the members of their group had been taken. She wasn't alone in the worry, the rest of the people in the train car were wondering what the hell was going on. Abraham had said as much. 

 

A lot of theories were bouncing around, but all the noise was just causing Sierra's head to hurt. 

 

"My Dad's gonna be back," Carl said as he looking at the group when they kept saying there might not be anyone left to let them out, "they all are."

 

"They _are_ ," Maggie agreed, "and we need to get ready to fight our way out with them when they do."

 

"I can't fight," Sierra said looking up at Maggie. Anyone could see the fear in her eyes. Fear that she was getting ready to be left behind when everyone else would fight their way out of Terminus. 

 

"It's okay sweetie," Maggie said kneeling down next to her, "just stay with us and we'll get you out of here."

 

Maggie watched as she gave her a weak smile. Should couldn't imagine why she would've been found alone by Daryl in the woods, but she could tell it _wasn't_ by choice. 

 

* * *

 

 

Daryl, Rick, Glenn, and Bob managed to get away from the ones that had taken them from the train car and were slowly making their way back to the others through the herd of walkers now swamping the camp. 

 

Weapons in hand, they shot down any member of Terminus they found and tried to leave the walkers to take care of the ones they didn't find. They weren't about to question what the hell happened, they were just going to take it as a blessing of sorts and get their people before hauling ass out of there. 

 

* * *

 

 

Sierra watched as the others continued to move around in the car, getting ready to fight when they could break free. 

 

The sound of banging outside the car cause them all to jump back away from the door just as it opened, revealing familiar people on the other side. 

 

The four who'd been missing after the smoke had left the car. 

 

"C'mon," Rick shouted looking at them all, "fight to the fence!"

 

Rick turned, running out of the way as the others filed out of the car, Sierra being the last one. 

 

But the second she landed outside the car, the smoke from all the fire filled her lungs, causing her to collapse to the ground in a wheezing fit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for updating this so much in the past few days just trying to catch it up to where I am at on Wattpad. Now updates will only be on Sunday's when it's updated on Wattpad.


	7. Carol

Maggie had been second to last exiting the train car, Sierra being right behind her. 

 

Running a few feet away, she glanced back go make sure Sierra was still right behind her, but she _wasn't_. The girl was on the ground, seeming to snuggle to breathe. Panicking, she ran towards her before collapsing to her knees beside her. Looking around, she spotted Rick and Daryl fighting a few feet away from them. 

 

"Rick," she shouted as loud as she could, "Daryl! Help, it's Sierra!"

 

Rick heard Maggie first and turned to look after dispatching the walker he'd been fighting with. Looking back he spotted why Maggie was calling out. 

 

Running to them, he dropped to his knees and picked Sierra up bridal style before looking to Maggie. "Get to the fence," he shouted as he stood back to his feet and ran to the group as they began climbing the fence one at a time. 

 

" _Daryl_ ," Rick shouted once he saw him go over, "take her!" 

 

Daryl jumped back up onto the fence and took Sierra from Rick before carefully jumping back down and moving back so Rick could climb up and over. 

 

"We need to get her back to the bag," Michonne said once she noticed Sierra's state. "Yeah," Rick nodded, "she placed her spare inhaler in the bag with our other weapons." "C'mon," Daryl said turning and walking off with the wheezing girl still in his arms, "let's go." 

 

He didn't look back to see if the others were following before he took off walking as fast as possible to where they buried their things. 

 

* * *

 

 

Once Daryl pointed out the landmarks they'd set to find their things, Rick didn't hesitate to begin digging, trying to reach that bag quickly. Carl knelt down, helping his father before they both grabbed a strap each and pulled the bag up. 

 

Daryl had since sat Sierra down, leaning her against the closest tree as he watched helplessly as she attempted to catch her breath. " _Daryl_ ," Carl shouted, gaining the man's attention before tossing him the inhaler. 

 

Effortlessly catching it, Daryl quickly handed it over to Sierra who gratefully took it. 

 

He watched as she took in the medicine from her inhaler and slowly began regaining her breath back. 

 

Behind him he could hear Rick arguing with Maggie and Rosita about going back and finishing off those people back in Terminus. 

 

Seeing that Sierra was now going to be okay, he turned his back to her and watched as he waited to see what they were going to do. 

 

Sierra sat there, taking in the medicine from her inhaler and watched as she group before her discussed what to do. But the faint sound of footsteps and a snapping twig caught everyone's attention. 

 

She quickly turned her head, spying a woman with a couple weapons in hand and short gray hair. 

 

She turned back to face the others just as Daryl's head snapped in the direction of the noise to assess the risk of possible danger. Sierra watched, expecting to see that he was going to deal with the risk so close to the group. But no, the only thing she saw was relief and happiness in his blue eyes just seconds before he ran towards the newcomer. 

 

She watched amazed as the rest of the group, especially Rick, seemed to have the same reaction as Daryl. The only ones who didn't were Rosita, Tara, Eugene, and Abraham. 

 

She turned back to watch Daryl and the new woman in time to see that he had her lifted up in his arms in a hug. Any attraction she felt to the redneck after he'd helped her slipped away. She had never been the one to come between people and she wasn't about to start now. 

 

She turned away, giving the two time to enjoy seeing each other again, only moving her attention from her lap, up to the three that had mentioned going to DC. 

 

Standing to her feet, she brushed the dirt off before making her way towards Abraham, who she pegged as being the leader. 

 

"When you three split from the group to continue headed north, if the others don't go with you, can I go too," she asked looking at the large redheaded man in front of her. 

 

He looked to the woman beside him, like he was trying to get her take on letting the young blonde tag along who could clearly put Eugene at risk. 

 

" _Please_ ," she begged, "I know I can't fight, I know I could be considered a flight risk or whatever. I'm just trying to get back home, where I belong. With my brother."

 

"Let her come," Rosita whispered over to Abraham as she looked to Sierra in front of them. "She'll be your responsibility then," he said, "not mine."

 

"She's not some damn _pet_ ," Rosita growled at him for referring to Sierra as one. "Yeah well she don't know a thing about protecting herself," he said, "she was behind some _wall_ probably since the beginning. She might as well be a pet."

 

Glaring, Rosita walked away from Abraham with her arm wrapped around Sierra's shoulders, leading her away from him. 

 

"You can come with us," she smiled, "we'll get you back to your brother."

 

* * *

 

 

Sierra was sitting by herself later in the evening.

 

They'd since met up with another man from Rick's group who'd had a baby girl with him. 

 

Sierra realized the moment she saw Carl and Rick's reaction that she was related to them. She wasn't sure but she'd bet her bottom dollar that the little girl was Rick's daughter and Carl's baby sister. 

 

The sun was slowly starting to set and Rick had decided that the group would rest up here for the night then move on in the morning at first light. 

 

As she sat there, she could hear the faintest of whistles coming from the side that had her hearing aid in it.

 

" _Crap_ ," she muttered to herself as she pulled the device from her ear. 

 

"What's wrong," Daryl asked as he stooped down next to where she sat, causing her to jump slightly before he apologized. 

 

"My battery is dying for my hearing aid," she said with a sigh, "when it does, it'll be harder for me to hear what's happening around me. If I wasn't a liability before, I am _now_." 

 

"No," Daryl said shaking his head, "you're not."

 

Sierra stared at him, shocked by what he'd said just then. As she watched him though, he seemed to begin to turn red. 

 

Although confused, she didn't dare ask what was wrong. 

 

"People who generally can't hear," Daryl spoke up after a few minutes and catching her attention again, "don't they have some sort of way to communicate?"

 

"Well yeah," she said nodding, wondering where this was coming from. "Think ya could teach me," Daryl asked, his face seeming to go red again before he quickly continued what he was saying, "or someone _else_ in this group?"

 

"Maybe," Sierra said nodding, "it just depends on the person if it'd be _easy_ to learn. Some people have a harder time learning it than others."

 

"But would you teach me," Daryl asked again as he watched her. He may not have talked to her much, or known her for very long,  but he didn't like the idea of spending so much time around her and not being able to communicate somehow with her. 

 

In the long run, it might help both parties out if her hearing aid did finally die where they couldn't get new batteries for it. 

 

"Well," she started slowly, like she was trying to decide if she _could_ , "I guess I could try."

 

Daryl watched as the timid woman in front of him smiled weakly at him. Nodding once, he got to his feet just as darkness began to fully set in and went to go take his watch with Carol. 

 

* * *

 

 

Sierra kept to herself after Daryl had walked off to take watch. 

 

From where she sat, she could see the two talking. Feeling as though she was intruding on their privacy, she turned her attention over to the small, low burning fire she sat next to. 

 

She jumped slightly when a twig next to her snapped moments before someone say down beside her. 

 

"Sorry," Maggie said quietly with an apologetic smile when she realized she startled the blonde. 

 

"It's okay," Sierra said as she smiled back before looking to the fire once more. 

 

"How are you feeling," Maggie asked after a second, looking to her as she waited for an answer, "you know after earlier today."

 

"I'm okay now," Sierra whispered as she watched the fire, "thanks to you, Rick, and Daryl."

 

"It helps you had that inhaler packed away," Maggie smiled before turning her own attention to the flames before them. 

 

She glanced to Sierra at one point, only to see her looking over towards where Daryl was sitting with Carol for their watch. 

 

"I saw him talking with you earlier," Maggie said, causing the blonde to jump once more, "what about?"

 

"I wear a hearing aid," Sierra said as she reached up and pulled it from her ear to show Maggie, "the battery in it is starting to go dead. I mean I can hear _some_ , but in the end I'll just become a hindrance to this group."

 

"I really doubt you would be," Maggie said as she smiled warmly at her, "I'm sure Rick wouldn't let you stick around if you were. But what does that have to do with Daryl talking to you?"

 

"He asked me if I'd teach him how to communicate by sign language," she said thinking back to the conversation, "but he didn't exactly say _that_. I think he was unsure of the term or something. I don't know. But I said I'd try."

 

When she didn't get a response, Sierra looked to the brunette to see she was looking to Daryl's position before looking back to Sierra. 

 

"What," Sierra asked confused as Maggie looked back to her. 

 

"It's nothing," Maggie said giving a small smile to Sierra, "just trying to figure out why he'd offer to learn." 

 

"You mean he doesn't do something like that for you guys already," she asked confused. 

 

"No," Maggie shook her head, "I mean he goes hunting for the group. But I feel he believes we'd starve if he didn't. Look, Sierra, don't get attached to the attention, he may end up distancing himself eventually. He always does at some point.  He will come back around, but he always distances himself at some point. Remember that Sierra."

 

She watched as Maggie stood to her feet and made her way back over to her husband, Glenn, and sat next to him. 

 

Her words still on her mind as she stretched out where she sat and fell asleep next to the fire. 

**Author's Note:**

> I'm posting this on Wattpad and figured this would be the first story I post on here. Please leave comments and give me feedback on what you think.


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